Facebook photos show drinking by Woodbury students

Last update: January 29, 2008 - 5:08 AM

Students at yet another metro-area high school face repercussions after photos pulled from the online site Facebook showed them drinking, according to a letter to be sent today to parents of Woodbury High School students.

At least 12 students were identified and four were given "some kind of consequence," principal Linda Plante wrote in the letter, which was released to the Star Tribune late Monday by Woodbury schools spokeswoman Barbara Brown.

Plante wrote that the pictures "were brought to our school on Friday." A student told WCCO TV that a senior used them in a health class presentation on student drinking.

The letter did not say what punishment the four students will face. School officials first contacted district lawyers and the Minnesota State High School League, which bans students in athletics and other extracurricular activities from drinking, the letter said.

Woodbury students did not have school Monday because of a teachers' workshop. But students had heard about the incident as early as Friday, and Plante wrote that "much misinformation" was circulating.

The letter reminds parents and students that Facebook and MySpace are not private websites.

"Their content forms a permanent and public record of conversations and pictures," Plante wrote. "Because the photos were brought into our building, it is our obligation to address any violations of school rules they might depict."

Earlier this month, 13 students were disciplined at Eden Prairie High School after officials received pictures of students drinking alcohol. The pictures, which came from Facebook, were used as evidence that some students had broken contracts pledging not to drink while in extracurricular activities.

Plante wrote that the incident will give parents a chance to talk to their kids about alcohol and drug use, and how they portray themselves on social networking sites.

COURTNEY BLANCHARD

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